SMRTR TechJun 11, 2026Interesting Engineering

US backs commercial fusion plant design built for decades of continuous power

SMRTR summary

The US Department of Energy has approved Xcimer Energy's design for Athena, a commercial fusion power plant built to run continuously for decades. Xcimer's approach uses a moving molten salt curtain inside the reactor to protect structures from radiation damage — a key engineering breakthrough. With its prototype laser system already operational in Denver, the company is now focused on scaling up industrial manufacturing rather than proving the science.

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